Still Feels Good
by openyourheart12
Summary: summer of Finn and Rachel


I do not own or affiliate with Glee or Fox.

* * *

><p>Finn loves Rachel, he really, truly does, but this was getting out of hand. Waking up at 8 in the morning was <em>not <em>something he signed up for this summer, but there was his phone, blasting _Faithfully_ as loud as it could, right on time.

He picks it up off his desk with a groan and hits answer. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Finn!" Rachel says brightly.

"It's sleep time, Rach. Go back to bed," he says, smacking his lips slightly.

"Finn, I will not allow you to sleep the day away and I have things we need-"

"Babe, I love you, but I'm not waking up at 8 in the morning all summer. I'm a growing boy, I need my sleep." He hears her huff on the other end.

"Fine. Call me when _you're _ready to wake up," she tells him.

"Hey, don't be like that. I've gotten up early this past week for you, just give me a few extra hours today."

"It's fine, Finn. Just call me later, okay?" she says.

It wasn't fine. He could tell she was upset. "Rach-"

_*click*_

"Dammit," he curses himself. He tries calling her back, but it goes straight to voicemail. He groans and sits up. He hates when she acts like this. Like he didn't want to spend time with her or something. He always wants to spend time with her, just not at_ 8 o'clock in the freakin' morning._

He runs a hand through his hair, conflicted. He really, _really _wanted to sleep some more, but he knew if he didn't go find Rachel, she wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the day and that would _not _be fun. Having an over dramatic girlfriend could be a complete buzzkill sometimes.

He stands up, changes his clothes and brushes his teeth. He walks out of his room and meets Kurt in the hallway. "What are you doing up so early? You do realize it isn't past noon yet, right?"

"Shut up," he growls. "Rachel called and I told her I wanted to sleep in and now she's pissed at me and won't answer my calls."

Kurt just looks at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Wow, and people think _I_ don't have any balls."

"Fuck off," Finn grumbles as he shoves past his step brother.

"Tell Rachel I say hello!" Kurt shouts after him.

Finn just snarls before brushing Kurt off and thinking of a plan. He didn't want to fight with Rachel because the last time they fought, his world pretty much ended. So yeah, no more fighting. He was going to make sure she felt like his first priority. 'Cause, in all reality, she really is.

* * *

><p>They're lying under a tree in the middle of June, a pair of earbuds between them. Rachel told him it was a " Wicked sort of day" and <em>For Good <em>was currently playing through his ears.

"Kurt and I sang this in New York," she says, nonchalantly. "We sort of snuck into the Gershwin Theatre, but the security guard caught us. He let us go on stage though and we sang this song," she says brightly. "It was _amazing_, Finn. Being up on that stage, even though there wasn't an audience, I pictured it in my mind and I felt like- like I was on top of the world," she says with a smile, humming along to the music.

He's a little taken aback. She snuck into a Broadway theatre? With Kurt? Why didn't she tell him sooner?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know." She shrugs. "I kind of forgot until the song started playing just now. But, oh, Finn, I wish you could have been there. And it's a rather perfect song, too, don't you think? For Kurt and I to sing together?" She asks.

He nods. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, you guys used to hate each other, and now-"

"He's one of my best friends," she finishes. "Second to you, of course." She looks up at him briefly and smiles. "I'm going to be on that stage one day, Finn. Maybe not the _Wicked _stage, per se, but _nothing's _going to get in my way of Broadway." She looks back down and starts tracing random patterns on his chest.

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good._

He thinks about how she's changed him for good. He used to be all about his reputation, all about popularity. But since Glee came along, and since _she _came along, his world was kind of turned upside down. The best kind of upside down, of course.

She's his best friend, his confidant, the person he can turn to no matter what. He loves that he can tell her anything, like his love for Mulan (Moo-Shu is totally badass, okay?) and he knows she won't tell anyone. She can tell him anything, too. He's pretty sure he's the only person she's ever told her irrational fear of bridges to or how she accidentally ate a ladybug when she was 6.

He trusts her, even after everything that's happened, she's really the only person he can rely on.

And _that's _why he can't lose her. She's _everything._ She- she's the love of his _life. _He's never gonna find someone who understands him as completely as she does, or someone who really believes he can do anything and he's not a total screw-up. He can't- no he _won't _- lose her. It's not an option. She's tied to him forever, she's his better half, his better _everything._

He's going to New York with her. He'll get really awesome grades this year and maybe talk to Ms. P about another music scholarship and he'll totally ace the SAT's.

He's not losing her. He's _not. _He needs to talk to her about it, cause she'll totally help with the applications and stuff and she can help him study for everything.

He'll wait to have that conversation later, though.

He hears a soft giggle come from her lips as _Defying Gravity _starts playing though the earbuds, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I still can't believe Kurt and I competed to sing this song," she laughs loudly now. "And do you remember how we were in wheel chairs that week, as well? That was rather difficult, navigating throughout the school. I gained a lot of respect for Artie afterwards. I couldn't imagine having to go through with that everyday."

He smiles. "I know what you mean, I lost count of the book bags that hit me in the face."

She laughs louder. "At least you didn't have your lunch dumped in your face. And it was Tuna Noodle day!" She shudders. "I'll never forget that wet, slimy feeling on my face."

"Ew, babe. TMI." She just laughs and snuggles farther into his arms.

"It smelled really bad, too," she says a few minutes later.

"Rachel!"

She only laughs and kisses him, rolling over so she's straddling his waist.

Yeah, he thinks, smiling into her kiss, there's no way in _hell _he's ever living without her again.

* * *

><p>Why does he get himself roped into these situations? He doesn't want to help his mom with the stupid basement, but Burt pretty much told him if he doesn't, then he can't go to Tina's party tonight, and that would <em>not <em>be a good deal. It's, like, the first Glee party of the summer and yeah, he's not missing it. So, here he is, picking up unpacked boxes and handing them to his mom so she can organize and sort through them.

"Hand me the one labeled 'Living Room' over there, Finn," his mom tells him, pointing above his head.

He grabs it and hands it to her, sitting down on an empty crate. "Mom?" He asks.

"Hmmm?" She rummages through the box, picking up some weird elephant statue thing.

"Can I ask you something?"

She looks up from the box at him. "Of course, honey. What is it?"

He sighs. "How did you deal with dad going off to war? Like, how did you handle him leaving?"

She's surprised, he can tell. "Well," she begins, "I didn't really. He told me he wanted to go into the service and I begged him not to. I knew how dangerous it was and how there was that chance he wouldn't come back, but he had made up his mind, and when he sets his sights on something, there's no stopping him," she smiles slightly. "He called when he could and wrote letters constantly, but I missed him like _crazy_ and with you being born right before he left, it was even more difficult having him gone." He nods and looks away. "What's this about, Finn?"

He takes a breath. "It's just- Rachel's going to New York after we graduate next year, and I- I want to go with her, but if I don't get in, I don't know how I'm supposed to handle her going off without me." He picks up an abandoned baseball off the floor and starts throwing it back and forth between his hands.

He hears his mom sigh beside him, "Finn, you're only in high school. You have-"

"No," he interrupts her. "I already know what you're gonna say. I _know _that we're only in high school and that we have the rest of our lives ahead of us and whatever else it is that adults are supposed to say to make you feel better." He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. "But, she- she's _it_, mom. She's it for me. I can _feel _it. And I'm sure you think I'm crazy, but I can't imagine being with anyone but her and I don't know what I'm going to do if she goes off to New York and leaves me behind." He stops throwing the baseball and looks up at her. "_How _do I handle it? How can I make sure that doesn't happen?"

She smiles sadly at him, "Finn, I know you care deeply for Rachel." She inhales slowly and continues, "But I don't know what to tell you. You're just going to have to trust in her and yourself to make it work."

He shakes his head and looks down, "I don't know how," he says softly. "It's almost like she's already got one foot out the door. She thinks she has to _choose _between her career and love. Between Broadway and me."

"Does she know you want to go to New York with her?" she asks. He shakes his head. "Not yet. We haven't really talked about it in depth," he says.

Carole looks at him with slightly narrowed eyes and sighs softly. "Do you really want to follow her to New York?" she asks. "Can you _honestly _see yourself being truly happy in New York? With Rachel?"

He frowns. He'd loved New York when they went for Nationals. Sure, it'd been a lot louder than Lima, but he can get past that, right?

He sighs. Being with Rachel is all he really wants in life, no matter where they are. And Rachel can show him all these awesome places in New York that he didn't get to see and they can live in a little, crappy apartment and he'd be happy because being with Rachel makes him happy. So, he can't really see the difference between living in Lima or living in New York, because no matter where he is, as long as Rachel's there, he's happy.

He nods his head. "Yeah, I really can," he replies.

"Well, it's up to you in the end, I suppose," his mom says. "Just know that this decision could effect your entire life, Finn. You shouldn't take it lightly."

"I think me falling in love with Rachel already has that covered," he tells her.

She just laughs and pats his knee. "Come on, we need to finish unpacking these boxes."

He stands and grabs another box before turning around, "Thanks, mom."

She smiles at him. "Anytime."

* * *

><p>It's a Saturday night and he's got Rachel pinned beneath him on his bed.<p>

"Finn," she pants. "We need to stop. Your parents-"

"Are out of town," he finishes, nipping at her neck. He pulls her shirt up slightly to run his hands over the smooth skin of her stomach. He latches his lips to the spot right below her ear and he hears her moan.

He could do this forever, he thinks. He'll never get tired of hearing her make those noises, of _making _her make those noises.

She rolls them over so she's straddling his waist. She trails hot, wet kisses down his neck and runs her hands under his shirt, tracing his stomach. She grabs the bottom and tugs upward. He breaks the kiss quickly so he can pull his shirt off and throw it on the floor. He rolls them over again and captures her mouth, running his tongue over her bottom lip. She whimpers and squirms under him.

She won't stop wiggling and _shit_. How did his hand get this far up her shirt? He pulls back, and shit, she's gonna be _pissed, _but she catches his gaze as she takes her shirt off slowly. She throws it on the floor and he stares at her with wide eyes. "Rach-"

She just shakes her head and reaches behind her. Is she-? Holy shit. Her bra straps fall off her shoulders and- _Mailman, mailman, mailman_!

"I love you, Finn," she whispers as she pulls him back on top of her. They never made it this far when they dated before. He just got boob action that one time at his old house, and a few ass grabs here and there, but that was it. Granted, he got it a lot sooner this time around, but he wasn't expecting _this_.

She's staring up at him nervously and starts to cover herself up, but he snaps out of his daze and grabs her hands, pulling them away from her body. "You're so beautiful," he whispers, lacing their fingers together above her head. He leans down and kisses her, plunging his tongue in her mouth.

He pulls away and kisses down her neck, past her collar bone to the point right below her throat. He lets go of her hands and she buries them in his hair. He keeps kissing downward until he reaches the point right above her right boob. He looks up at her and when she nods, he takes her nipple in his mouth. She moans loudly and he grows painfully hard and he thinks that he has _the best girlfriend in the entire fucking world. _

He drags his left hand up and massages the other boob as she arches into him. He kisses back up to her mouth, whispering "I love you" against her lips. She whimpers as he guides his other hand up and kneads both her boobs, tweaking her nipples slightly.

He kisses his way back down her throat and drags his tongue along the valley between her breasts. He removes his hands from her chest and grabs the back of her thighs, rolling them over so she's on top. He takes her nipple into his mouth again and she moans loudly. He trails his hands up her legs until they're under her skirt, massaging lightly.

"Finn," she whispers and he thinks she's gonna stop him because this is _way _farther than they've ever gone before, but she just trails her hands down his bare stomach to the button of his jeans. She undoes it quickly and gets his zipper down, and before he has any idea what's going on, she's got her hand in his pants, reaching for his boxers.

He lifts his head up and grabs her wrist quickly. "Rach, what are you-"

She just shakes her head. "I want to do this," she says a little breathless, leaning up to kiss him quickly.

He lets go of her hand and lays his head back on the pillows. She puts her hand in his boxers again and wraps her fingers around his length, running her hand up and down few times slowly. He inhales sharply and she pauses, "Am I doing this right?"

He can't really talk at the moment, so he just nods his head furiously. She turns her attention back to his pants and pulls him free of his boxers. He's already about to come undone and the way she was timidly running her hand up and down wasn't helping.

"Fuck, Rach- if you keep going at that pace I'm not gonna last much longer," he breathes. She blushes and picks up the pace slightly, running her thumb over his tip. She leans forwards and kisses him, not slowing with her ministrations. He raises his hand and massages her breast, cause come on, it's _right there _and she moans softly, fastening her movements with her hand. He bucks his hips into her hands and lets out a low groan, pulling her face back to his for a seering kiss.

He bucks his hips one last time and comes hard, releasing onto Rachel's stomach. His eyes roll back into his head slightly and he's breathing really hard and his heart is, like, trying to escape out of his chest or something because it will _not slow down_. She rests her forehead on his for a moment and he can feel her let go of him and turn around, grabbing tissues to clean them both off. She leans over the edge of the bed then and grabs her bra and shirt, putting them both back on. He tucks himself back in his pants and grabs her around the waist, pulling her on top of him.

"I love you," he whispers into her hair.

She giggles and kisses him. "I love you, too," she says, leaning farther into his

He inhales deeply and rubs his hands down her arms. He feels like he should offer to do something for her. It's only fair, right?

"Do you want me to- you know.." He asks.

She shakes her head, blushing slightly. "Not yet. I'm not ready for- for _that _yet. But you'll be the first to know when I am. I promise," she says.

He smiles. "Okay," he says softly, kissing her hair.

She nuzzles herself farther into his arms and hums quietly, tracing patterns across his chest.

"How long are your parents out of town?" She asks a few minutes later.

"Just until tomorrow night," he says.

"So, I could stay here tonight?"

His eyebrows shoot up and he looks down at her. "Like, spend the night?"

"Yeah, I thought maybe, if you wanted-"

"Yes, yeah, I want you to stay. Definitely," he says. "But, what about your dads? Won't they-"

"Not a problem. I'll just text them and tell them I'm staying with Kurt, which wouldn't technically be lying since Kurt's home." She shrugs.

He smiles and grips her tighter, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

She laughs, "You just did, like, 2 minutes ago."

He rolls them over so he's looking down at her. "I don't care. I love you more than anyone else in this entire world," he whispers, leaning down to peck her lips.

She smiles and runs a hand affectionately across his cheek. "I love you, too, Finn."

She pushes him off a few moments later and sits up, swinging her feet over the side of the bed. "Where you going?" He asks her.

She grabs his hand and pulls him up. "Downstairs, I'm hungry."

He laughs and picks his shirt up off the floor, throwing it over his head. "Hey, Rach?" He asks, walking out the door.

"Yeah?"

"You're the best girlfriend in the whole world," he says, throwing her his lop-sided smile.

She just laughs and takes his hand, "Come on, I'll make us some banana bread."

Yeah, his girlfriend's the fucking _bomb_.

* * *

><p>It's the beginning of July and Rachel's been gone for 3 days visiting her family in Michigan, so Finn asked Puck to go fishing at the lake.<p>

"'Bout time you made some time for me," Puck says as he unloads the fishing poles and bait from the back of Finn's truck. "You've been up Berry's ass all damn summer."

"Fuck off, dude. She's my girlfriend, I'm obviously gonna spend time with her," Finn says as he shoves past Puck to the dock by the lake.

Puck just rolls his eyes, "So, it's gonna be like that again, huh? You two being, like, _in love _and shit all the time?" He walks down to where Finn's set up his chair and pole.

Finn turns his head towards Puck. "Yep," he says as he narrows his eyes, "And don't even _think _about doing anything or I will kick your ass into oblivion."

Puck just holds up his hands. "I'm not gonna do anything, dude. I thought we went through this already?"

"Yeah, I'm just making sure my point's across," he says, casting his line.

He hears Puck laugh and unfold his chair, sitting down and baiting his line. "I would totally kick your ass anyway, Hudson."

Finn laughs loudly now, "Yeah, okay. Considering I've already kicked _your _ass more than once."

"You came in and mauled me without warning!" Pucks yells defensively.

"Don't care, you even started the one in the hall and I still got more hits in than you."

"Fuck you," Puck grumbles. Finn laughs and reels his line in to re-cast it.

They sit in silence for a few minutes before Puck turns to him, "I really am sorry, man. 'Specially 'bout Berry. I knew how crazy you are about her."

"S'okay," Finn says. "Just stay away from her this time, alright?"

Puck laughs. "I'll try." They reel in their lines and re-cast.

"You still with Lauren?" Finn asks a few minutes later.

"Nah, I split up that shit a while ago. She wasn't into it anyway," he says.

Finn nods. "And I really wasn't either," Puck says quietly.

Finn turns his head towards him, "What do you mean?"

Puck shrugs, "I dunno. She wasn't who I wanted to be with."

Finn's mouth is kind of open and his eyebrows are scrunched together. "Then, who do you want to be with?"

Puck reels in his line again, re-baits it and looks at Finn. "How'd you know you were in love with Berry?"

That didn't really answer his question, but whatever.

"Uh, I dunno," he shrugs. "I guess- I just _did._ I always wanted to talk to her or be around her and I thought about her _constantly_. Still do, actually. I know I can trust her with anything and she's, like, my best friend. If anything happens to me, she's the first person I go to. I don't know- I guess you just get this feeling in your stomach, like a pulling. It's like I can _feel _her. Like, she's apart of me, and I just _know_. I know I love her." He shrugs again and looks at Puck. "Why?"

"No reason," Puck says, looking out across the lake.

It's quiet for a little while before Finn gets why he asked. "You still love Quinn, don't you?" Puck's silent. "What happened to you guys last year, you never told me," Finn says.

"I told her I loved her when we were looking at Beth after she was born," Puck says softly. "She smiled, but didn't say it back. I thought maybe she did love me, but, ya know, maybe she didn't want to admit it yet or something. But after we left the hospital, that was it. She ignored me all summer, even when I tried to tell her I wanted to be with her, like, _for real _be with her, she wouldn't listen to me," he said quietly.

"I wanted to keep Beth. I wanted to start a family with her and Quinn, but it wasn't really up to me. I knew she didn't want to keep her, but I thought maybe, just _maybe_, she would change her mind. Maybe she would see that we could be happy, but she didn't want anything to do with me." He looks down and kicks a rock into the water.

"Even on Beth's birthday this year, she ignored me the entire day," Puck says, taking in a ragged breath. "I tried to forget about her and everything that happened, but I couldn't. That's why I tried to steal that ATM at the beginning of the year. I needed a distraction, so I went all criminal and got my ass thrown in jail. And when I come back and she's with _Sam_," he shakes his head. "I seriously wanted to kick the guy's ass," he says, picking up a rock and throwing it in the lake.

"I almost kicked yours when I found out you two got back together," Puck says. Finn shakes his head. "Yeah, that was not a well-thought out plan on my part," he says. Puck sighs and runs a hand over his mohawk. "That was the whole reason I went after Lauren. I thought maybe it would open Quinn's eyes or something, make her jealous, _anything_. But I got nothing. She just ran back to you cause you were Mr. Big Man on Campus and shit and I was just the loser who knocked her up."

Finn turns to Puck and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Dude, if I knew-"

"It wouldn't have changed anything. You were still pissed at me and s'not like you owed me anything. I'd fucked you over enough, I didn't want you thinkin' I was tryin' to steal your girl again."

Finn looks back to the lake. He knows how bad it sucks when you're in love with a girl and they don't wanna be with you.

"I know what you mean by trying to make a girl jealous and having it totally backfire on you. That was the only reason I slept with Santana, to make Rachel jealous and look how well that turned out."

Puck laughs lightly and nods, "Yeah, but you still got her in the end."

Finn smiles. "Yeah, I did." He turns to look at Puck. "You shouldn't give up though. Not until you know for sure. If she loves you, I mean."

Puck shakes his head. "I don't know. Rather not waste my time."

Finn nods his head and flinches when Puck suddenly hits him in the shoulder. "What the hell, dude?"

"Don't fucking say a word about this conversation. Not even to Berry. We're men, we don't talk about our feelings," he says, pointing his finger in Finn's face.

"Did you really have to punch me?" He asks, rubbing his shoulder. Puck flexes his arm, ready to hit Finn again, but he backs away, holding his hands in the air. "Calm your shit, man. I'm not gonna tell anyone."

"Good. Cause I'd kick your ass."

Finn opens his mouth to reply, but feels his pole jerk in his hands.

Puck throws his hands up in the air, "Dammit. You get everything, don't you?"

Finn just laughs and reels in whatever he's caught. He pulls it out of the water, but it's not a fish. It's a shoe.

"Dude! That's my shoe from 5th grade!" Puck says.

Finn gets it off the hook and chucks it, nailing Puck in the head. He laughs loudly. "See? Just another reason I can totally kick your ass. Perfect aim."

Puck just groans, rubbing the side of his head. "Fuck you, asswipe. You just wait, you'll be walking somewhere and I'm gonna fly out of nowhere like a fucking ninja and throw your ass in the dirt."

Finn just laughs and shoves his shoulder. "Bring it."

* * *

><p>Why can he not stop coughing? And why does his whole body hurt? Especially his head. Seriously it's, like, <em>pounding.<em> And why the hell won't Kurt answer his damn phone already? If he can hear it from across the hall then surely Kurt can hear it from his own room.

_And I get the joy of rediscovering you. Oh girl, you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours, faithfully_

Shit, that was _his _phone going off, not Kurt's. He reaches blindly over to his nightstand and picks it up, putting it to his ear.

"Hello?" He scratches out.

"Finn!- Oh, are you feeling alright? You sound funny," Rachel asks concerned.

"No," he moans. "My whole body hurts and my head will not stop pounding and-" he's cut off by a fit of coughing.

"Finn, you sound awful. Do you want me to come over?" She asks.

"Mmmm, the front door's unlocked," he mumbles, still coughing slightly.

"Okay, I'll be over in 10 minutes. I love you."

"Love you, too. Hurry though, 'kay?" He murmurs.

"I will, baby. Do you want me to bring you some soup?"

"Chicken noodle, the star kind with the carrots," he tells her. She giggles, tells him she loves him again and hangs up.

He sets his phone back on the table and sits up, throwing his legs over the side of his bed. He shuffles to the bathroom to pee and brush his teeth. He walks back to his room and collapses on his bed, coughing like crazy.

He must have fallen asleep cause the next thing he knows, Rachel's sitting on his bed with a cool washcloth over his forehead, stroking his cheek lightly.

"You had a temperature," she tells him, dabbing at the washcloth lightly. "And I needed to bring it down." She turns to his dresser and picks up a glass of water and two aspirin pills. "Here, take these. They'll help with your headache," she tells him, placing the pills in his hand. He does as he's told and chugs the glass of water. He lies back down and grips her around the waist, pulling her under the covers with him.

"You're warm," he murmurs as he nuzzles her neck.

"Finn," she laughs. "I need to go check on your soup," she tells him, trying to get out of his grasp.

"Mmmm, later. Just stay here with me," he whispers as he wraps his arms tighter around her stomach. She giggles again softly.

"It'll burn if I don't go check on it. You need to eat something anyway," she says, pulling away from him. He whimpers and tries to reach for her arm, but only catches air. She turns before she's out the door and says, "I'll be back up in 5 minutes. _Don't _fall back asleep," she says sternly, pointing a finger at him. She whirls around and disappears down the hall.

His eyes start to droop shut instantly, but he forces them open, trying to stay awake. He grabs the washcloth from his pillow and puts it back over his forehead.

He can hear her footsteps on the stairs a few minutes later and she walks through his door with a tray of food. She sets it down on his dresser and sits on his bed, taking the bowl of soup in her hands.

"Here, eat this. _All _of it." She forces the bowl into his hands and he begins to eat slowly.

It's totally awesome how amazing Rachel is, he thinks. His mom doesn't even take care of him like this when's he's sick. Even when he got mono, she yelled at him, telling him he was being completely irresponsible and that he needed to change his attitude _or else._

Not Rachel, though. She was there in the nurse's office, taking care of him, even though he totally didn't deserve it. Their conversation from that day passes through his mind.

_Did you see fireworks when you kissed me? _

He's never seen fireworks with Rachel. It's always been so much more powerful with her. More _meaningful_.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asks, pulling him back to the present.

"Stars," he blurts out. She stares at him like he's lost his mind. "Excuse me?"

"Stars," he repeats, placing his bowl on his bedside table.

"Finn, if you're talking about the soup-"

"That's what I see when I kiss you," he finishes. "Stars and bright lights and my stomach does this awesome flippy thing and it's the _best _feeling in the whole world."

She looks completely baffled. "Finn, I don't-"

"You asked me what I see when I kiss you. Back in February when I had mono," he tells her. "And I never got the chance to tell you so I'm telling you now."

Her eyes are misty and she looks a little taken aback. She looks down, playing with the hem on her skirt.

"A-are stars better than fireworks?" She asks quietly, a few moments later, looking back up at him.

"_So _much better," he says. "A million times- no, a _trillion_ times better. Nothing can compare to stars. They're the best things in the entire universe. They make all those contiliations-"

"Constellations," she corrects him.

"Yeah, those, and you can look at them whenever you want and you can never run out of them. Fireworks fade. Stars are always gonna be there. No matter what," he finishes, smiling at her.

She looks at him with even more tears in her eyes and strokes his cheek softly.

He pulls her to him and kisses her cheek softly. "Fireworks are too loud anyway. They never shut up and you always have that ringing in your ear, even after they're done."

She smiles at him. "Finn-"

"And they have the most stupid, obnoxious opinions that no one really even cares about and they always yell at you, no matter what you do, they're never satisfied. Stars never do that, though," he says looking at her. "They actually love you and make you happy. And they never yell or leave ringing in your ears." He smiles at her.

"I don't deserve you," she murmurs quietly, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

"You know, you always say that, and I tell you every time that _I'm _the one who doesn't deserve _you_, but you never listen to me," he says, shifting her legs to pull them under the covers with him.

She sighs and snuggles into his side. "Well, it's true," she murmurs.

He chuckles softly and kisses the top of her head. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," she says softly, running her hand up and down his chest soothingly.

His eyes droop and he yawns loudly, pulling her closer to his side.

"Can I go back to sleep now, Rach?" He asks tiredly. He still felt like complete crap.

She laughs and looks up at him. "Yes, you can sleep. And I'll still be here when you wake up."

"Promise?" He murmurs softly.

"Promise." She leans up to kiss his jaw before settling back in his arms.

Yeah, he thinks before he drifts off, stars totally kick fireworks' _ass._

* * *

><p>He's been playing Call of Duty since he came home from Rachel's last night. Ten straight hours. It's a new record for him.<p>

God, he loves this game. Shooting people, strategizing against the enemy. It's just a really fucking _awesome _game. He tried to teach Rachel once last summer, but she got so frustrated she threw the controller out the window. Like, literally, _out the window_. She was so pissed she left his house and didn't talk to him for 2 days.

He shakes his head, she was freakin' insane sometimes.

He hears the front door open downstairs.

"Finn!" Rachel yells. "Where are you?"

"In my room!" He calls back. His tongue is kind of sticking out and he's so caught up in the game that he doesn't even realize Rachel's in his room until his controller is suddenly ripped from his hands.

"Hey! Give me that back!" He yells.

She walks to his TV and turns it off. "Rachel! You can't just _barge _in here and-" He's cut off when she kisses him suddenly. He's completely confused, but he kisses her back, running a hand down her arm.

"I need to ask you something," she says, pulling away and sitting beside him on his bed.

"And you couldn't have just called?" He's still kinda pissed cause, _dude. _Ten. Straight. Hours.

"I tried! Five times actually," she says, giving him this look that just screams _do not mess with me. _

He looks down feeling like an asshole. "Oh.."

"Yeah, and I knew that you were playing this silly game so I was forced to come over," she says, placing a hand on his knee.

"Well, what did you need to ask me?" He asks a few moments later.

She takes a breath. "You know my cousin, Stacy, right?"

He scrunches his eyebrows together, trying to remember. "The blonde one? With that Ryan dude?"

She nods her head. "Yes, her. Well, she and Ryan got engaged a few months ago and their wedding is next week," she says. "And I was wondering if you would accompany me as my plus one." She smiles at him and squeezes his leg a little.

He groans. "Rach, you know I hate going to weddings. And I won't know anyone there and I'll have to wear a _stupid _suit and-"

"But Finn, you loved your mom's wedding and you'll know people there. Kurt and Blaine are coming as well. My dads asked them. And you won't have to wear a _stupid suit._ The ceremony is outdoors and it will be _much _too hot for you to be wearing long sleeves." She looks up at him with those big, brown eyes and he can already feel his defense crumbling.

"Please?" She whispers, leaning her head closer to him. "For me?" She juts her bottom lip and bats her eyes in that insanely adorable way that she _knows _he can't say no to.

Damn her.

He groans again and grabs her around the waist, pulling her onto his lap. "I don't have to wear a suit?"

She claps loudly and peppers kisses over his face. "Thank you, Finn. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"You don't have to make anything up to me, babe," he says, kissing her softly.

She pulls on his hair, forcing him to look at her. "But I _want _to," she says, smiling coyly at him.

"Well, in that case," he says, smiling as he leans in to kiss her again.

* * *

><p>They go to the wedding a week later and Rachel's got on this beautiful pink flowery summer dress and Finn's wearing khaki shorts and a shirt Rachel picked out for him. They meet up with Kurt and Blaine at Rachel's house so they can all ride together with her dads. The wedding's an hour away at some fancy garden place that Finn forgot the name of and the reception's at a dining hall close by.<p>

Once they reach their destination, Kurt and Blaine get out of the car and walk, hand in hand, to where the ceremony would be held later on.

Finn got out next and offered his hand to Rachel, helping her out of the car.

"Rachel, sweetie, come here for a minute," Hiram calls, getting out of the passenger seat.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," she tells Finn, kissing his cheek. He watches her walk over to her dad and shoves his hands in his pocket, feeling completely out of place.

He looks around and recognizes no one. This is why he doesn't like weddings. Rachel made him go to her other cousin's last summer and it was horrible. Everyone looked at him like he was an alien or something.

He looks back over to Rachel and sees her give her dad hug and walk back over to him.

She has a smile on her face as she wraps her arms around him and burrows her face into his chest, breathing deeply. He hugs her back tightly, leaning down to kiss her hair. "What did your dad want?" He asks when she pulls away.

"Oh, he just told me that we'll be getting back to Lima super late tonight and if you, Blaine, and Kurt just wanted to stay at our house, he said that would be perfectly fine." She smiles up at him and takes his hands, lacing them together with hers.

He smiles and leans down to kiss her. "That'd be awesome. I'll text my mom later and tell her."

"Already taken care of," she tells him. "My dad said he talked to your parents before we left and apparently he called Blaine's dad, as well." She beams up at him and he can't _not _kiss her.

"You look beautiful today, babe," he whispers against her lips. She blushes lightly and thanks him, dropping one of his hands and leading them into the garden to sit next to Kurt and Blaine.

The music starts up about 20 minutes later and everyone stands as Stacy makes her way down the aisle.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Rachel gushes.

"Yeah," he murmurs. "But you outshine her," he whispers, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She just smiles and shakes her head, grabbing his hand as they sit back down.

The minister starts talking about dearly beloved and some other stuff, but Finn's not really paying attention. He can feel Rachel tracing over his knuckles with her thumb and he squeezes her hand a little. She looks up to him and smiles.

She turns her attention back to the front and Finn hears the couple start saying their vows. He thinks about his and Rachel's future wedding. She'll look beautiful, of course, walking towards him in a white dress and he'll have on some awesome tux that she'll love. And he'll say these totally boss vows that he'll have to have Kurt help write because, well, let's face it, he's really not one for words. Rachel won't mind though, because she's just that awesome and her vows will be all kinds of perfect because she _does _have a way with words.

She'll probably cry though, which will make him cry and Puck'll probably call him a pansy or something, but he won't really give two shits because he'll be _married._ To _Rachel_. And it'll be perfect, he's sure of it.

Especially the honeymoon, he thinks. He'll take her somewhere with a beach. Maybe in Europe or South America or something. He could even go all out and rent a house for a few weeks, where they wouldn't have to worry about thin hotel room walls or anyone bothering them. He and Rachel haven't had sex yet, but by what they have done, he knows she's gonna be a screamer.

Oh, and he should totally tell Kurt to make Rachel buy all this awesome lingerie that she can wear and they'll just lock themselves up in their room the entire time and-

He shakes his head. _Slow down, Hudson. You're not even out of high school yet and you're planning your honeymoon._

He hears the music start back up and Rachel stands, dragging him up with her as the newlywed couple walks down the aisle, smiling so big it almost looks painful.

He looks down to Rachel who has tears rolling softly down her face, looking on at the couple with a smile. Finn wraps an arm around her waist and leans down so he can whisper in her ear. "That's gonna be us one day."

She turns so she's face to face with him, a sort of adoration in her eyes. "Yeah?" She asks, trailing her hands up his torso.

He nods and wraps both arms around her waist. "I promise," he whispers, taking her lips captive.

"Alright, alright you two. There's plenty of time for _that _later," Kurt says, pulling at Rachel. "Come on, Blaine's hungry, I wanna dance, and the dining hall is 20 minutes away. Let's get a move on!" He says, tugging Rachel forward. She only laughs and looks back at Finn, mouthing an "I love you".

He smiles back, mouthing "I love you, too" before he feels Blaine shove at his shoulder. "Come on, Finn. Kurt's gonna start yelling if we don't leave now and I, for one, do not want to watch him throw a tantrum."

Finn laughs and nods his head. He catches Rachel twirling around with Kurt ahead, laughing wildly and his smile widens.

He's gonna marry that girl one day.

* * *

><p>"Finn, where are you taking me?" She asks, giggling as he drags her deeper into the woods.<p>

"Just come on, it's a place Puck and I used to come to all the time when we were younger," he says. He sees the familiar opening in the trees and pauses before he enters. "Close your eyes."

"Why?" She whines. "You don't have some crazed chainsaw killer hiding in the trees to jump out and kill me, do you?"

He smiles at her. "Baby, just close your eyes. I promise there is no chainsaw killer coming to get you. I just wanna surprise you," he says, putting a pout on his face that he knows she can't resist.

She huffs, but closes her eyes. He pulls at her arms, leading her to the opening. When he's through, he walks behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Open."

He can hear her gasp and she walks slowly forward towards the treehouse. "Did you build this?" She asks, turning back towards him.

"Not really. Puck and I found it in 5th grade and we fixed it up a bit, but that's all," he says with a shrug.

She turns back around and makes her way towards the ladder. "Is this sturdy? I won't fall to my death or anything, will I?"

"What is it with you and death tonight? You think I'm some psycho lunatic trying to off you or somethin'?" He teases.

"You never know," she says with a shrug, putting one foot on the first rung.

He puts a hand on his heart, feigning insult. "That hurts, Rach."

She only smirks and begins to climb up the ladder. She leans out the window once up, looking down at him. "Well, come on crazy. I'm not just gonna stay up here by myself the whole night."

She disappears and he makes his way up quickly, walking over to where she's standing. She's looking at a very vulgar crayon drawing that's hung up on the wall.

"Puck was very creative as a kid," he says, putting his arms around her waist.

She shakes her head. "I figured this was his. He was always drawing these types of things during synagogue." He chuckles slightly and she turns to wrap her arms around his waist, looking up at him.

"Why'd you bring me here?" She asks quietly.

He wipes a stray hair from her face and runs a hand down her arm. "I come here a lot, and- I don't know. I thought you might like it." He shrugs.

She nods with a smile and walks away from him, looking around and picking up random knick-knacks off the floor and shelves. She finds another picture Puck drew and rolls her eyes, throwing it back on the floor in a crumpled ball.

"You wanna see the best thing about this place?" Finn asks, walking towards a rope hanging outside the window. She nods her head.

"Go over to that cubby and grab the blanket out of it," he tells her, pointing to the opposite side of the room. She does as she's told and unfolds it, laying it across the dirty floor. He leans out the window and pulls the rope, causing half the roof to open up. He can hear Rachel gasp as he walks to the other side, opening the other half of the roof. He walks over to her and lies down on the blanket, pulling her with him.

"Did you and Puck do that?" She asks in amazement.

He chuckles. "Yeah, it wasn't that hard. We just had to slap on some hinges, tie a rope to each side, and bada bing. Got yourself an awesome roof." She laughs loudly and wraps her arms tightly around him.

"You're amazing," she says, still laughing slightly. He kisses her hair and breathes deeply, looking up at the night sky.

The summer's almost over. They only have a two weeks left until they go back to school and he's not ready. He doesn't wanna think about colleges or leaving or taking the SAT's.

And don't even get him started on New York.

If he doesn't get into a college in New York, he's going to lose Rachel. They've talked about it and she says they can do long distance, but he knows that she won't be able to focus on Broadway if she's worried about him all the time. He refuses to hold her back. So, the only option is going with her.

He feels her shift and roll on top of him. "Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" She asks.

He tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and strokes her cheek with his thumb. "Us," he murmurs.

She smiles. "What about us?"

He smiles sadly. "How this could be one of our last summers together," he says quietly.

She frowns and sits up, looking down at him. "Why do you say that?"

He sits up and pulls her in his lap, resting his chin on her shoulder and interlacing his hands with hers in her lap.

"Because if I don't get into New York, everything's gonna change," he says, kissing her cheek.

She sighs deeply. "Finn, I've told you. We can do long-"

"No," he interjects. "We can't. I'm not gonna force you to be tied down to Ohio like that. You don't want that anyway. Once you're gone, you're gone. You can't be in New York worrying about me here when you should be focusing on school and getting on Broadway," he says.

She tightens her hold on his hands and brings one up to kiss it gently. "You won't hold me back," she whispers, turning slightly to face him. "You could never hold me back."

He smiles. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you have these irrational thoughts that you're not good enough. When, in all reality, you're _more _than good enough." She sighs. "You always tell me that I need to believe in myself more, but you need to start learning to walk the walk before you can talk the talk," she says, raising her eyebrows.

He laughs and pecks her cheek again, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. "I guess you're right."

"Always am," she says, grinning widely.

He laughs lightly against her skin and squeezes her midsection tighter.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he murmurs, kissing her neck gently.

She closes her eyes and sighs softly, a small smile on her lips. She leans her head back on his shoulder and turns it slightly towards him.

"You'd do just fine without me," she whispers, leaning up to kiss him.

"Not a chance," he says, pulling away from her.

She only shakes her head and nestles further into his embrace.

It's true, though. He wouldn't be the person he is today without Rachel. She _saved _him. Without her, he'd probably still be some douchey jock who threw kids into dumpsters. He wouldn't be _Finn_ and he owes her much more than he could ever repay.

He can feel her fingers tracing patterns up and down his arms and he gives her stomach an affectionate squeeze.

"Can you promise me something?" He asks.

She turns her head up towards him and nods. "Of course."

He smiles slightly and kisses her neck softly. "Promise me," he says, "that no matter what happens this year, no matter how many fights we get into or how many times we say things we don't mean, we won't let it fall apart. We won't just give up on each other."

She nods her head again. "I promise," she says. "No running this time."

He smiles again and nuzzles her neck. "No running," he murmurs, kissing her jaw softly.

She tilts her head to the side, facing him slightly. "Just you and me, right?" She asks, her eyes searching his.

"Just you and me, babe. I promise," he whispers, cupping her face and drawing her in for a kiss.

* * *

><p>It's the last night of summer and Finn and Rachel are in her room waiting for her dads to call them down for dinner.<p>

Rachel's sitting up, writing furiously in her notebook and Finn's lying on his back tracing his finger up and down her spine lightly.

He's thinking about how things are about to change when they go back to school tomorrow. He knows people will still talk about Glee club and still rib him about Rachel, but he's not worried about anything tearing them apart. They're stronger than before.

He loves her. _God_, does he love her. And she loves him, too. And that's all that matters anymore.

He sees her close her notebook and she sighs loudly, laying back into his arms. "You got everything organized?" he asks, rubbing his hand down her arm.

She nods her head lightly. "Yes. That list should last me until at _least _Sectionals."

He chuckles and kisses her head lightly. "I love you," he says softly.

She looks up at him and cocks her head to the side, an amused smile on her face. "I love you, too, Finn."

He leans down and kisses her, running his tongue over her bottom lip lightly. She pulls away and nuzzles his nose affectionately with hers. "Just you and me, right?" she asks quietly.

He kisses her again and cups her jaw. "Just you and me," he says.

"Good," she smiles, leaning back into his embrace.

"Rachel! Finn! Dinner's ready!" her daddy calls. Rachel sighs slightly and sits up, pulling him with her. "Come on. I think my dads made lasagna," she says, smiling at him.

Finn smiles back at her and laces their fingers together, following her out the door.

School's gonna be hard, he thinks. And they'll probably have their fair share of complications, but he's just Finn and she's just Rachel and _they're _just Finn and Rachel, aut he doesn't think anything can get better than that.

* * *

><p><em>Fin<em>.

* * *

><p>AN I'd like to thank Ciel for beta-ing for me. Love you! Reviews on this would be lovely. (:


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